India's advertising momentum remains strong despite category disruptions: Priti Murthy

At the unveiling of This Year Next Year (TYNY), Priti Murthy, President – Client Solutions, South Asia, WPP Media, explained why India’s advertising trajectory continues to remain resilient despite disruptions across categories, why the real competition lies in breaking siloed mindsets, and why content and commerce — not channels — will shape the next wave of expansion.

In an exclusive conversation with Pitch, Murthy characterises the current landscape as a “happy economy” fuelled by strong business confidence, government-driven expenditure and B2B brands moving into B2C. She underlined that the true transformation is structural — moving beyond the outdated traditional-versus-digital divide — toward integrated, content- and commerce-centric ecosystems where brand-building and performance function in tandem.

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What are your key takeaways from this year’s TYNY report?

For me, the most significant insight is that we are operating in a happy economy. It is a market that is spending and is approaching double-digit growth. If gaming as a category had not paused, we would have comfortably exceeded double-digit expansion.

There is optimism across industries. Public investments are unlocking expenditure in several sectors. I’m seeing B2B clients approach us saying, “Help us transition into B2C,” or “Help us broaden our footprint.” That movement itself reflects confidence.

Another major insight is the convergence of commerce, retail, modern trade and content. The old definitions no longer apply. We need to stop labelling it traditional and digital. That distinction has faded. What matters today is whether communication is rooted in content and enabled by commerce. Consumers are not thinking in terms of platforms — they are engaging with content fluidly across them.

According to the report, India’s advertising expenditure rose 9.2% in 2025 and is expected to grow 9.7% this year. What factors are driving this relatively moderate pace of expansion?

I do not view the 9.7% projection as moderate at all. Considering that gaming (real money gaming brands) exited advertising due to regulatory developments, this remains robust growth. Had gaming continued, we would have crossed 10% or more this year.

Certain categories are yet to witness full acceleration — pharma, for example. It is more about regulatory structures than lack of ambition. You’re also seeing new subcategories emerge, such as weight-loss drugs entering advertising cautiously. They cannot scale aggressively overnight, but the momentum is building.Meanwhile, auto, BFSI, fintech, retail and e-commerce are maintaining growth. So, in this context, 9.7% is a very strong number.

What are the biggest challenges media agency leaders face today?

The primary challenge is reshaping brand dialogues. We must shift away from siloed approaches — TV first, then digital, then commerce. Media journeys need to be architected around content and commerce ecosystems.

Another significant issue is the divide between brand marketing and performance marketing. This split weakens consumer storytelling and, frankly, ROI. When long-term equity, brand credibility and immediate sales are aligned, results improve. We have frameworks and analytics that validate this.Some clients are already advancing on that path. Others are evolving alongside us. It is a collective transformation.

What will be the single biggest shift in media this year?

The biggest shift is acknowledging that digital is now mainstream. With nearly 68–70% share, digital is no longer “emerging.” It is foundational. The real change is toward integrated media thinking instead of channel silos. Consumers do not distinguish between platforms; they follow content. Our planning systems must mirror that behaviour.

As Retail Media and CTV expand, how are you addressing measurement complexities?

Measurement today is significantly stronger than before. We deploy platforms like WPP Open and proprietary solutions to customise frameworks around immediate sales impact, long-term brand equity and overall ROI. Measurement is no longer confined to media metrics — it is about linking media effectiveness to business outcomes.

In retail media, fragmentation remains the challenge. Each ecosystem — Amazon, Meta, Flipkart — functions within its own data universe. Our responsibility is to unify these through CDPs, maintain privacy standards and develop a central measurement architecture.Large enterprises have already invested in data systems. The next wave will come when mid-sized brands institutionalise their data capabilities.

CTV investments are still heavily skewed toward sports and entertainment. Why?

Because content drives scale and influence. Sports and entertainment offer high sufficiency and emotional resonance. However, CTV is broadening beyond that.

With connected TV, targeting can now reach pin-code precision with measurable results. It complements linear TV and digital. The opportunity lies in crafting a complementary narrative rather than positioning formats as rivals.

How has TV planning transformed over the years, and how can TV expand its AdEx share?

Television remains a substantial and growing base. We are witnessing roughly 4% growth in TV advertising in 2025. The key transformation in television is regionalisation. Vernacular markets — Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Bhojpuri — are expanding meaningfully across both TV and print.

TV’s core strength lies in reach and regional relevance. Connected TV enhances targeting and accountability. As long as television positions itself as complementary within the larger ecosystem, it will sustain relevance.

How are South Asian markets progressing compared to India?

Sri Lanka is a digital-first market, albeit smaller in scale. The ecosystem is nimble, but limited market size restricts impact. Bangladesh has experienced political and economic volatility, affecting stability. Nepal continues to remain a small-scale market. India, in contrast, benefits from scale, policy impetus and depth of investment. That combination provides a structural edge.

What excites you most about the next phase of media?

The transition from media planning to mapping content journeys. Gen Alpha and younger audiences will not respond to advertising in the conventional sense. They will respond to content that shapes purchase decisions. If we can chart consumer journeys through content ecosystems, that is where the future resides.

India is an expanding market. And as WPP Media, we are equipped to drive both scale and flexibility — large enough to influence ecosystem change, agile enough to tailor solutions for individual clients.

That duality excites me the most.